Section 124 — Complaint to other officers
Statutory text (Thai original)
ผู้เสียหายจะร้องทุกข์ต่อพนักงานฝ่ายปกครองหรือตำรวจ ซึ่งมีตำแหน่งหน้าที่รองหรือเหนือพนักงานสอบสวน และเป็นผู้ซึ่งมีหน้าที่รักษาความสงบเรียบร้อยตามกฎหมายก็ได้เมื่อมีหนังสือร้องทุกข์ยื่นต่อเจ้าพนักงานเช่นกล่าวแล้ว ให้รีบจัดการส่งไปยังพนักงานสอบสวน และจะจดหมายเหตุอะไรไปบ้างเพื่อประโยชน์ของพนักงานสอบสวนก็ได้เมื่อมีคำร้องทุกข์ด้วยปากให้รีบจัดการให้ผู้เสียหายไปพบกับพนักงานสอบสวนเพื่อจดบันทึกคำร้องทุกข์นั้นดังบัญญัติในมาตราก่อน ในกรณีเร่งร้อนเจ้าพนักงานนั้นจะจดบันทึกเสียเองก็ได้ แต่แล้วให้รีบส่งไปยังพนักงานสอบสวน และจะจดหมายเหตุอะไรไปบ้างเพื่อประโยชน์ของพนักงานสอบสวนก็ได้วรรคสี่ (ยกเลิก)
English translation
An injured person may also lodge a complaint with an administrative or police officer who holds a position subordinate or superior to the investigating officer and who has a legal duty to maintain public order. When a written complaint has been submitted to such an officer, he shall promptly send it on to the investigating officer, and he may add any memoranda for the benefit of the investigating officer. When a complaint is made orally, he shall promptly arrange for the injured person to meet the investigating officer so that the complaint may be recorded as provided in the preceding section. In an urgent case, that officer may himself make the record, but shall then promptly send it on to the investigating officer, and he may add any memoranda for the benefit of the investigating officer. Fourth paragraph: (Repealed).
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
This General Principles provision widens the channels for lodging a complaint beyond the investigating officer: an injured person may go to any administrative or police officer, senior or junior to the investigator, who has a public-order duty. That officer acts as a conduit, forwarding the complaint promptly and, in urgent cases, recording an oral complaint himself under the Section 123 procedure. The fourth paragraph has been repealed. The provision must be read with Section 123 (contents of a complaint) and Section 125 (duty to arrange a proper complaint after acting on a request for help).
Why this matters in practice
In practice this means you do not have to find the exact investigating officer to report a crime: you can complain to another responsible police or administrative officer, and they must pass it up the line. For compoundable offences, though, the same rule still applies, the complaint must be made by the true injured party, or it is invalid and the prosecution can fail. If you are unsure whether your report was validly lodged, or who counts as the injured party, our guide on what to know before going to court in Thailand gives useful background.
Supreme Court decisions interpreting this section
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 8080/2538 (1995)
A person who is not the injured party has no right to lodge a complaint in a compoundable offence under Section 124; consequently the prosecutor has no power to file under Section 121 and the person cannot join as a co-plaintiff under Section 30.
Because the underlying cheque debt was void, the joint plaintiff was not a person harmed and so was not an injured party under Section 28. He therefore had no power to lodge a complaint in the compoundable offence under Section 124, the prosecutor had no power to file under Section 121, and the court should dismiss both the prosecutor's and the joint plaintiff's case.
-
Supreme Court Judgment No. 2176/2534 (1991)
For an offence that is not compoundable, the investigator has power to investigate even without a complaint under Section 121 paragraph one; if the officer then fails to arrange a proper complaint under Sections 123, 124 and 125, no law voids the otherwise lawful investigation, and the prosecutor retains power to file.
The Supreme Court held that in a non-compoundable case the investigation was lawful even without a complaint under Section 121 paragraph one. The failure to arrange a proper complaint under Sections 123, 124 and 125 did not void the lawful investigation, so the public prosecutor had power to file the case.
Curated decisions with case numbers verified against the Supreme Court database. English renderings are the firm's editorial translation for study.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to complain directly to the investigating officer?
No. Under Section 124 you may complain to any administrative or police officer, senior or junior to the investigator, who has a public-order duty, and they must forward the complaint.
Can an officer record my oral complaint on the spot?
In an urgent case, yes. Under Section 124 that officer may record the oral complaint himself, then promptly send it on to the investigating officer.
Does the fourth paragraph of Section 124 still apply?
No. The fourth paragraph of Section 124 has been repealed and no longer has effect.